APSE Trends

[EBERARD@USC-ISIF.ARPA (Edward V. Berard)]

Recently, I have become aware of two trends regarding Ada Programming
Support Environments (APSEs). I find one of these trends encouraging,
and the other to be disturbing. The first (i.e., the encouraging one) is
that Ada compiler vendors are now turning their attention to delivering
APSEs and APSE-like tools along with their compilers. The initial
efforts appear to be based on existing programming environments (e.g.,
VMS and UNIX), but there appears to be a growing recognition that Ada
technology is different enough from the technology associated with other
programming languages to merit some newer ideas.

The second trend (i.e., the disturbing one) is one that has manifested
itself in a number of RFPs (Requests For Proposal) I have seen recently,
e.g., the Army's WIS effort. The trend is to call any programming system
which contains an Ada compiler, an APSE. I know that there are a number
of APSE-related activities currently under way in the Ada community, and
I wonder how important the following issues are:

   1) The idea of a common user interface,

   2) The idea of APSE portability achieved via mechanisms like the
      KAPSE (note that this issue may be distasteful to hardware
      vendors),

   3) The concept of DIANA,

   4) The concept of the CAIS,

   5) The STONEMAN model for the APSE, and

   6) Other issues contained in or suggested by APSE-QUESTIONS (see
      EV-Information). 

                                -- Ed Berard
                                   (301) 695 - 6960
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